Indonesia: A decade without executions
Rights Organisations Congratulate Indonesia on Achieving De Facto Abolition Status and Call for Death Penalty Abolition to be Formalised
29 July 2026
Ten years without executions
We, the undersigned organisations, congratulate President Prabowo Subianto and the Government of Indonesia for reaching the milestone of 10 years without executions. On 29 July 2016, Humphrey Jefferson Ejike Eleweke (Nigeria), Michael Titus Igweh (Nigeria), Freddy Budiman (Indonesia) and Seck Osmane (Senegal) were executed for drug-related crimes. Since then, there have been no further executions of those on death row in Indonesia, although death sentences have still been handed down.[1] This is in line with a global trend towards abolition, with close to three-quarters of countries having now abolished the death penalty in law or practice.[2]
This anniversary signifies that the United Nations will now consider Indonesia a de facto abolitionist country.[3] The Government of Indonesia is to be congratulated on this significant milestone. In 2023, Indonesia revised their Criminal Code, reflecting a cautious, structured approach to capital sentencing by reserving it to be used only as a ‘last resort’.[4] Further, this punishment is imposed with a 10-year probationary period which takes into account the defendant’s remorse and their good behaviour.[5] Demonstrating Indonesia's belief in rehabilitation, the government repatriated 11 foreign nationals to their home countries, six of whom were on death row at the time of their release.[6]
Globally, 54 countries remain retentionist. Of this number, 14 are in the Asia-Pacific.[7] The region accounts for the highest number of executions by far. Indonesia’s sustained moratorium on executions and recent reforms have strengthened its position in regional efforts toward death-penalty reform.[8]
Significant concerns remain
Indonesia’s achievement must nevertheless be viewed alongside the continued imposition of capital punishment by its courts and other related issues. According to Amnesty International, in 2025, there were 68 new death sentences, including 56 for drug offences and 12 for murder.[9] As of October 2025, the Ministry of Law and Human Rights in Indonesia reported around 500 persons on death row.[10]
Article 6(2) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and Safeguard No.1 of the UN Safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty, adopted through the UN Economic and Social Council resolution 1984/50,[11] stipulate that the use of the death penalty is to be restricted to only “the most serious crimes”. The UN Human Rights Committee emphasises that “the most serious crimes” are to be read restrictively and apply only to exceptionally grave offences that involve “intentional killing”. Accordingly, crimes such as drug offences, while serious in nature, “can never serve the basis, within the framework of article 6” for a sentence of death to be imposed.[12] The UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions echoes this sentiment, stating that “the death penalty may not be imposed for drug-related offences”.[13] Thus, the death penalty for drug offences undoubtedly breaches international law.
Moreover, the Indonesian government and parliament are now discussing the Bill on the Procedure for the Implementation of the Death Penalty, proposed as a replacement of the 1964 Execution Law. The bill establishes a framework where executions may be carried out if commutation fails and there are no more legal avenues available to persons on death row.[14] The latest draft of the bill still contains problematic articles, especially the lack of monitoring and redress mechanisms during the process of execution.
Human rights defenders must be protected
Finally, the Indonesian government must take further steps to protect human rights defenders and ensure they can operate without fear for their safety. On 12 March 2026, Andrie Yunus, an activist with the rights group KontraS, was subject to an acid attack in Jakarta after recording a podcast which detailed the militarisation of civil and political affairs in Indonesia. This targeted attack, which caused “severe and permanent injuries requiring long-term treatment”,[15] occurred despite “the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders affirmation that everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms”.[16]
There are also still many legal barriers that might impact the work of human rights defenders in Indonesia. The Criminal Code contains articles that might limit the work of human right defenders in calling out government, such as public defamation articles to governmental institutions[17] or to the President/Vice-President.[18] There have been indications that the government is preparing a new law to combat disinformation and foreign propaganda. Depending on how terms like ‘disinformation’ and ‘foreign propaganda’ are defined, such an effort might exacerbate the suppression of free speech.[19]
We call on Indonesia to ensure that they are abiding by their international obligations stipulated in the ICCPR, especially to “ensure effective protection for individuals exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful advocacy”.[20] Failing to do so undermines the progress Indonesia has made in human rights.[21] We encourage all countries to prevent such attacks from occurring in order to safeguard democratic institutions and ensure justice and accountability.[22]
Our call to Indonesia
We congratulate the Government of Indonesia on reaching 10 years without an execution. This milestone should become the foundation for decisive and irreversible progress towards full abolition. To be genuinely abolitionist, Indonesia must move beyond a de facto status and remove the death penalty from its laws and practice.
We call on Indonesia to:
Formally abolish the death penalty in law and remove it as a sentencing option for all offences, especially those not amounting to the ‘most serious crimes’ under international law, interpreted as crimes of extreme gravity involving intentional killing.
Formalise the moratorium pending abolition by adopting an official and legally binding moratorium on all executions and on the imposition of new death sentences.
Ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty, to ensure its permanent abolition.
Review and commute existing death sentences, with particular priority given to individuals who have spent more than 10 years on death row.
Ensure protection and an enabling environment for human rights defenders to continue their work.
Support the global movement towards abolition by voting in favour of future United Nations General Assembly resolutions calling for a universal moratorium on executions and Human Rights Council Resolutions concerning the question of the death penalty.
This statement is co-signed by:
Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network (ADPAN)
Lembaga Bantuan Hukum Masyarakat (LBHM)
The Commission for Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS)
Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (ICJR)
Capital Punishment Justice Project (CPJP)
Odhikar (Bangladesh)
Malaysians Against Death Penalty and Torture (MADPET)
Maldivian Democracy Network (MDN)
Transitional Justice Working Group (TJWG)
Together Against the Death Penalty (ECPM)
Julian Wagner Memorial Fund (JWMF)
Coalition Against the Death Penalty (CADP)
Student Actions for Transformative jUstice (SATU)
Taiwan Alliance to End the Death Penalty (TAEDP)
Redemption Pakistan
World Coalition Against the Death Penalty (WCADP)
Justice Project Pakistan (JPP)
References
[1] Human Rights Council, Question of the Death Penalty: Report of the Secretary-General, 30th sess, Agenda Items 2 and 3, UN Doc A/HRC/30/18 (16 July 2015) 3 https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/797115?v=pdf.
[2] Amnesty International, Death Sentences and Executions 2025 (Report No ACT 50/0778/2026, 29 May 2026) 39 https://www.amnesty.org/en/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/ACT5007782026ENGLISH.pdf.
[3] Human Rights Council, Question of the Death Penalty: Report of the Secretary-General, 30th sess, Agenda Items 2 and 3, UN Doc A/HRC/30/18 (16 July 2015) 3 https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/797115?v=pdf.
[4] Undang-Undang Republik Indonesia Nomor 1 Tahun 2023 tentang Kitab Undang-Undang Hukum Pidana [Law of the Republic of Indonesia No 1 of 2023 on the Criminal Code] (Indonesia) art 98https://the-world-is-watching.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/2023-Indonesia-Penal-Code.pdf.
[5] Ibid, art 100.
[6] Lembaga Bantuan Hukum Masyarakat, Colliding, Colliding, Yet Never Forming: Interests Eroding Reformasi (Annual Report 2025, January 2026).
[7] Amnesty International Australia, 'Death Sentences and Executions 2025' (Web Page) https://www.amnesty.org.au/death-sentences-and-executions-2025/.
[8] Ibid.
[9] Amnesty International, Death Sentences and Executions 2025 (n 2).
[10] 'Law Ministry Reveals 500 Death Row Inmates Await Execution in Indonesia', INP Polri (News Article)https://inp.polri.go.id/artikel/law-ministry-reveals-500-death-row-inmates-await-execution-in-indonesia.
[11] Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network, '2026 World Drug Day: Over 60 Organisations Urge UNODC and CND to Take Urgent Actions to End Unlawful Use of the Death Penalty for Drug-Related Offences' (Web Page, 26 June 2026) https://adpan.org/2026-world-drug-day-over-60-organisations-urge-urge-unodc-and-cnd-to-take-urgent-actions-to-end-unlawful-use-of-the-death-penalty-for-drug-related-offenses/.
[12] Ibid; Human Rights Committee, General Comment No 36: Article 6 (Right to Life), UN Doc CCPR/C/GC/36 (30 October 2018) para 35.
[13] Report of the Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions, UN Doc A/67/275 (9 August 2012) para 122. See also Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Arbitrary Detention Relating to Drug Policies, UN Doc A/HRC/47/40 (18 May 2021) paras 41–43; Report of the Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, UN Doc A/HRC/10/44 (14 January 2009) para 66; Question of the Death Penalty: Report of the Secretary-General, UN Doc A/HRC/24/18 (1 July 2013) para 78.
[14] Amnesty International, Death Sentences and Executions 2025 (n 2).
[15] Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, 'Indonesia: UN Experts Condemn Military Trial in Acid Attack Case Targeting Human Rights Defender Andrie Yunus' (Press Release, June 2026) https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/06/indonesia-un-experts-condemn-military-trial-acid-attack-case-targeting-human.
[16] Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network, 'ADPAN Condemns Acid Attack against Indonesian Human Rights Defender Andrie Yunus' (Press Statement, 15 March 2026)https://adpan.org/adpan-condemns-acid-attack-against-indonesian-human-rights-defender-andrie-yunus/.
[17] Criminal Code, art 240.
[18] Criminal Code, art 218.
[19] Nino Citra Anugrahanto, ‘The Bill on Combating Disinformation and Foreign Propaganda is Considered to Risk Limiting Freedom of Expression,’ kompas.id (22 January 2026) https://www.kompas.id/artikel/en-ruu-penanggulangan-disinformasi-dan-propaganda-asing-dinilai-berisiko-batasi-kebebasan-berpendapat.
[20] Ibid.
[21] Amnesty International Australia, 'Indonesia: Acid Attack on Human Rights Defender Must Be Tried at Civilian Court to Prevent Impunity' (Media Release, 30 April 2026) https://www.amnesty.org.au/indonesia-acid-attack-on-human-rights-defender-must-be-tried-at-civilian-court-to-prevent-impunity.
[22] Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network (n 16).